Chapter 9

"Y

ou left her down there? Alone?"

Jared stared at Xavier and a petite woman he instinctively knew was the wizard's mate. "Are you fucking nuts?"

Xavier took his mate's hand. "Far from it. Harper needs to come into her powers alone. The blue fire ignited them fully. Now we cannot be there to influence her in any way. We wizards are forbidden."

"Do you know what the hell will happen? SaqraYazezwill sense all that magick, all her power, and try to destroy her by siphoning it all out from herself. Harper doesn't know how to defend herself, for fuck's sake! She's probably alone and terrified. How the hell can she defend herself against a tenth level demon?"

Jared bunched his fists, though his claws dug into his palms. From the tips of his horns to his ugly cloven feet, he shook with rage.

Xavier shrugged. "I told you, we're forbidden from helping, or hurting, her. You're so concerned, you go to her."

"I can't. Not looking like this. I'll terrify her more than SaqraYazez."

"Pity," Xavier said softly. "Guess she'll have to learn to defend herself faster than normal."

Jared opened his mouth and bellowed. Rocks tumbled down the hillside to the crater below. Ciara winced. Xavier put a protective arm around his mate.

"Come, my love. The northern lights are spectacular tonight and no better place for a picnic and making love under the stars than Alaska."

With a wave of his hand, the wizard vanished.

Alone once more. Jared peered down into the crater and saw a glowing red figure.

Shit.

SaqraYazezhad arisen. Harper's magick must be more powerful than he realized, if she had awakened the demon this quickly.

Jared stretched out his hands, with their razor-sharp claws, his dark fur-covered arms. He glanced down at his goat legs with the cloven feet and the leather loincloth he wore for modesty.

I am hideous.

A scream echoed below, bouncing off the volcano walls.

I am hideous, but she's in trouble.

Cursing the wizards, he dematerialized to the mining area, where he knew the demon slept.

Harper shrank back as SaqraYazezhovered in the distance. Got a little time, he isn't fully awakened yet, like a mortal coming out of a coma.

But not much time.

He thought fast. Jared dematerialized before the wall of blue flames, so he remained in shadow, silhouetted by the fire. Harper seemed to sense him, for she turned away from the lurking vision of SaqraYazez back to him.

"You need to get the hell out of here," he said in a guttural voice.

Damn, why did he always sound like a beast in this form?

Because you are one.

She stood, staggered backward, blue flames shooting from her fingers and hitting him in the chest. Jared absorbed the power the way thirsty ground soaks in raindrops.

Harper fainted.

Sighing, cursing the wizards again, he picked her up into his arms as SaqraYazezroared and began to advance.

Jared dematerialized with Harper, but not before wondering what the hell he was going to do with her.

And most of all, how would she react when she gained consciousness and saw him in his cursed form?

She didn't wantto open her eyes, but beneath her was softness, not the hard rock of the volcano embracing her as she'd fainted.

Harper winced as she struggled to wake up. Last thing she remembered was a demon form looming out of the flames, a being with great horns, a forked tail, and cloven feet. Yet that demon didn't terrify her as much as the red shadowy figure whispering to her from the recesses of the volcano, a being with a voice as abrasive as claws on chalkboard.

Now she was lying on a bed, a bed softer than her own, with a white duvet and deliciously clean sheets. Harper forced herself to sit up as she rubbed her aching head. It all must have been a dream, and she was in her hotel room back on Java.

Slowly she looked around. This wasn't her modest hotel room. This bedroom was a lavish, luxurious room with a writing desk overlooking a balcony with French windows open to display a splendid view of white-capped mountains. Another window had a cushioned seat, perfect for reading the rows and rows of books tucked into the built-in bookshelves.

There was even a white vanity edged with gilt, and an ornate mirror, the vanity holding several bottles upon it. A blue velvet cushion on a gilded chair sat before the vanity.

The furnishings were white and gold, but the gold accents didn't overwhelm or look gawdy. This was a room meant to please, to soothe, to invite one to kick off their shoes and relax.

This bed was larger than the king-sized hotel bed. Harper moved over and finally slid her legs over the bed's edge.

Her legs were clad in red satin pajamas. She touched the red satin long-sleeved pajama top.

No dream, this. Who brought her here? Undressed her and put her in nightwear to sleep?

Thumping wildly, her heart banged against her chest. She touched her mouth, remembering the blue flames shooting out of it after she'd put her hand into the blue fire at Ijen…

Staggering to her feet, she padded over to one of the windows. Glass opened to show a magnificent view of jagged mountains. Cool air touched her cheeks, helping to chase away the sluggishness.

Bracing her hands on the windowsill, she peered down. The bedroom was part of a stone structure built atop a mountain. Below her was several thousand feet of rock. She couldn't even see the ground.

Surely there had to be an exit. Steps. An elevator.

You can't get here only by flying.

Promising herself she'd find a way out, she decided to test out what happened last night. Harper leaned out of the window, thought of the blue fire and breathed out.

Blue flames shot out of her mouth.

This couldn't be real. Her heart pounded as she clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I've heard of morning breath, but this is ridiculous," she muttered.

"It isn't morning breath. It's your magick," a deep voice announced.

Whirling around, she saw a man standing at the room's far side, leaning against the door jamb. That deep masculine voice – so familiar it made her tingle with sexual awareness, while her pragmatic side screamed, she was imprisoned inside a fortress and needed to get the hell out.

The man advanced into the room. Her gaze took in his feet (barefoot, like her) and the pressed black silk trousers, shot up to the black silk shirt covering what seemed like a well-formed body, to his face.

A handsome face that studied her quietly.

Recoiling, she put her hands in front of her. "It's you! That guy from the bar… what am I doing here?"

"I abducted you." A raised dark brow. "Kidnapped. Stole you away."

"Why?" She backed up, suddenly afraid of his tall, menacing form, though he was incredibly handsome. "What do you want with me?"

"I have my reasons." Unsmiling, he advanced. "You're here until I wish to let you go."

In the depths of his deep brown eyes, she saw desire swirling, and dark intentions. Harper backed up until she hit the bed. His gaze flickered to the mussed sheets, and he gave a slow smile.

Seducer. Strong and willing to take whatever he wished, he had her in his sights. Harper scrambled to the room's other side, her bare feet making slapping sounds against the cold tile. An image sprang to mind, their naked flesh slapping against each other as they tangled in bed…

Harper flung out her hands as he stalked closer. Blue fire billowed out from her hands, smacking into him like a flame thrower.

The flames swirled around him, and he reached out a hand, seemed to snatch them out of air as a cat would capture a bird. His fist closed around them, and the fire vanished.

Not burned, not scorched. Nothing.

He nodded slowly. "Good. Your powers are fledgling but there."

"What do you want with me?"

"I'm not going to hurt you. Not unless you wish it. I'm quite good at fulfilling women's fantasies." His knowing smirk indicated he could see into the darkness heart of her, know her intimate thoughts and desires.

"Who are you?" she demanded, glad her voice remained steady.

He gave a little bow. "Jared Griffin. I seldom frequent the bar scene, thanks to the witch who cursed me."

Cursed? What kind of curse? Everything seemed surreal.

"I remember you from the bar, but I was last at the volcano and …" Her voice dropped. "I saw a demon that terrified me."

For a moment a shadow crossed his expression. Then the same hard look came over him.

"The demon you probably remember is a tenth level demon and with your blowing smoke and flames up his ass, you woke him up."

His deep voice sounded ominous. "And he's quite hungry."

Taking another step toward her, he jammed his hands into his pockets. "As you are, I can imagine. You've had quite an eventful night and coming into your magick expends plenty of calories you must replenish in order to keep up your strength."

Head pounding, she pressed her fingers to her throbbing temples. "Why am I here?"

He spoke slowly, annunciating each syllable. "I told you, I brought you here until I tire of you. As it happens, you're safe here from the demon at the volcano. My castle is a refuge. He cannot invade my home unless someone here invites him."

Jared shrugged. "Rules of hospitality, I suppose."

"How? This place… the snowy mountains… we're not in Java anymore."

"Peru."

Good heavens, her headache grew worse. "How did you get me here?"

His heavy-lidded gaze met hers. "I suppose I could lie and tell you we took my private jet. I teleported you here from Java. I have magick as you have, only we are different."

Harper stared at him. "Different?"

"I'm an incubus demon. A sex demon."

He announced this as if telling her he was a financial analyst.

This was crazy. Trapped here with a sex demon and discovering she had magick powers?

It was difficult enough to digest the fact the people who raised her weren't her parents and her real mother and father were dead.

Her head pounded and her stomach roiled. She was a scientist, studying to be a volcanologist and this was a fantasy brought on by too much work. Harper pinched herself. Closed her eyes. Opened them.

The dark-haired, bearded man still remained in front of her, only this time he sighed.

"Stop hurting yourself. Won't do much good. You're not dreaming, and you should eat."

He gestured to a small table set up near the French doors. The tantalizing smells of bacon, ham, freshly baked bread, eggs, muffins and coffee drifted over to her. Harper blinked.

"That wasn't there a minute ago."

A slow smile from Jared. "I have magick as well. Conjuring breakfast is only one of my talents."

Her stomach grumbled, reminding her she'd forgotten to eat dinner last night in her excitement over the hike to Ijen. Reasoning if Jared wanted to harm her, he wouldn't bother feeding her, she walked over to the table. He was there in an eyeblink, pulling out a chair for her.

Such manners. Harper looked at his hand as he rested it on her silk-clad shoulder. Awareness shot through her, a feeling of deep sexual interest. A simple touch and he turned her on more than any other man had done with much, much more.

Her nipples saluted the area, hardening to diamonds, clearly showing through the thin material of the pajamas.

"Where are my clothes?"

Harper crossed her arms in front of her chest. Jared walked around the table and sat opposite her. His dark gaze locked to hers.

"If you would prefer to get dressed, go ahead. Breakfast can wait."

"Are you going to watch me?"

He leaned back with languid grace, his long fingers resting on the table's edge. "Why not? I've seen it done before."

Color suffused her face. "I suppose it was you who undressed me and put me into these pajamas. Well, I'd like some privacy to get dressed. I'm not getting naked with you watching."

Not yet, his dark, sexy gaze indicated. Jared shrugged. "No need. Use your magick. I did when I brought you here and put you into that sleeping outfit. Very fine pajamas, I might add. From Paris."

Harper felt her headache deepen. "Magick?"

"Ah, I nearly forgot. You're not accustomed to your powers. You simply conjure clothing for yourself. Envision yourself wearing whatever clothing you desire."

"I… can't do that. I don't know how you got me here or what's going on, but envisioning myself in different clothing can make the clothing appear? It's illogical."

He raised a dark brow, making him look even more impish. "Is any kind of magick logical? Try it."

Simply because she was desperate to feel some kind of normalcy and wearing this fabric, which teased her skin and made her feel wanton and sensual, Harper tried. Anything to hide her body's reaction to his man, who had her squirming in her chair almost as much as she had back in the bar.

She closed her eyes and imagined herself wearing…

A deep laugh.

Opening her eyes, she found her body clad in a rough burlap dress. It scratched her skin and made her itch.

"I understand, my dear, of you wishing to hide your delectable body from my sight, but jeans and a loose shirt would suffice. Or sweats. That looks dreadfully uncomfortable."

At this point, she wasn't certain what proved more shocking – the fact she could conjure clothing by using her imagination, or that he'd called her body delectable.

Harper closed her eyes again, trying to get a grip on an increasingly loose reality.

"Imagine yourself wearing comfortable clothing, something that makes you feel at home."

Jared's deep voice rolled over her in waves of reassurance. She didn't trust him, had no idea why he'd brought her here (a demon? Seriously?), but she knew he was right.

Harper envisioned herself in jeans, and a soft crimson cashmere sweater she'd once seen in a store and coveted, but hadn't had to the money to purchase.

With extreme care, she opened her eyes. She wore faded blue jeans, her favorite pair, and the crimson sweater.

Jared nodded. "Now you understand."

Forget logic and science. Harper stroked the crimson sweater, marveling at what happened. It was like Aladdin's lamp and the genie was a fashion icon granting her wish.

Her hand fell to her lap. "I can't do this. I couldn't afford this sweater and stealing is wrong. I need to return it to the clothing store."

Jared rolled his eyes. "My dear, you did not steal it. You imagined it. Nothing is missing from that store. What you wear is a copy, conjured from magick."

Harper sucked in a breath. "You mean, I can simply wish for something, like clothing, and it appears and doesn't vanish from the store?"

"It's not wishing. It's basic magick and all Others can do it. It's in our DNA, especially for shapeshifters."

"I'm a shapeshifter? This doesn't make sense."

"You are definitely a magick being, but I am not certain what kind you are, not yet." He cocked his head. "But I intend to find out."

Her fingers knotted in the delicious cashmere, anchoring her. All her life she'd clung to the practical side of life, having been raised by parents whose lives were as erratic as volcanic eruptions.

Perhaps that was why she enjoyed studying geology. Past pyroclastic flows were solid and steady, rocks she could analyze without worrying about their shifting behavior.

Rocks didn't hurt your feelings.

Rocks didn't kick you when you desperately needed reassurance.

He began to eat some of the bacon on his plate and sip his coffee. Jared gestured to her plate.

"Eat. It will get cold."

Harper poked at the bacon as if it were a science experiment. "I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat meat."

Amusement danced in his dark gaze. "You will now. Your body requires protein."

Suddenly ravenous, she dug into the eggs, and sprinkling them with a heavy dose of hot sauce.

"Hot sauce. Why am I not surprised?" he murmured.

When she came up for air, he leaned back again. "Tell me Harper Ashley, why do you wish to become a volcanologist? Unusual field of study."

"For a girl you mean?" She couldn't help it, having heard other men state the same.

"For anyone, male or female. It's quite limited as a career choice."

"I'm good with facts and figures, but most of all, science. Geology fascinates me and I want to help people. Better predictions for when volcanoes erupt mean villages and towns can evacuate sooner, with less loss of life."

"Such altruism." He sounded mocking.

Harper wiped her mouth. "Serving others can be rewarding."

"Where's the reward in helping someone else?"

She pitied him, wondering at the bitterness in his tone. "It feels good to think of people other than yourself."

"Did your adoptive parents teach you that? The humans who raised you?"

Not questioning how he knew about her parents, for she'd ask about that later, Harper fisted her hands. Her mother and father, the ones who adopted her, were triggers.

"They were too selfish to think of anyone other than themselves. Or me. They were too busy arguing with each other, accusing each other of cheating in their marriage, or indulging their addictions to gambling and alcohol."

Now he did sit up and looked interested. "Addictions? What happened to you?"

Harper thought of the lonely nights she'd spent, even at the age of seven, when the house grew dark and the only food for dinner was whatever she could make for herself.

Indulging in self-pity was a waste of time. Still, she couldn't help but tell him.

"I learned to make ramen noodles for dinner before I learned to ride a bike."

"Little Harper, all alone. No one to care. Must have been quite lonely."

Gone was the sarcasm in his voice. Instead, he sounded almost gentle. The eggs on her plate suddenly held all her interest. Oh, she could hold off the self-pity, but someone else expressing sympathy made her crumble inside. Die a little.

The sarcasm from him was better than pity.

She shrugged to hide her emotions. "It's how I grew interested in science. I asked my teacher the boiling point of water and he explained about molecules and heat. I became eager to learn more. Science was something…"

"You could control," he finished.

Glancing up, she nodded, a little surprised by his insight. Jared pushed his plate away. "If you're quite finished…"

She stood, wondering at his abrupt change of tone. "Yes, thanks for the meal. Now please, can I leave this place?"

"No."

"You're really not letting me leave? You intend to keep me a prisoner?"

A slow, dangerous smile from him. A sinful smile filled with sensual promise. "I prefer to think of it as a guest I intend to keep here for a while."

"A while! How long…"

"As long as I please."

Sweat pooled on her back and trickled slowly down into the jeans. "You can't keep me here."

"I can. Until I finish with you." His dark smile widened. "But you can find a way out for yourself. Use those powers you do not believe in."

"I was brought up to believe there's no such thing as magick. There's science and facts and logic. That exists." Her hands flexed. "This has to be a dream and I'll wake up soon."

His smile hinted of long nights tangled in passion. "I can give you a dream such as you will never wish to awaken from, Harper. Much as the visions I gave you at the bar, the pleasure you experienced, but more intense and real. Once you shared my bed, you will never wish to leave."

This was worse than she'd expected. Harper drew in a breath. "You invaded my mind? You're a bastard."

A cynical smile touched his firm mouth. "How did you know? Have you been talking to my mother? Ha. Yes, I am."

He pushed back from the table and stood. Goodness, she forgot how tall he was…something she'd seen at the bar and forgotten.

"I am an incubus demon and that is my nature. I cannot change it, any more than you can change the fact you have magick powers. Discover what you are, Harper, or you remain in danger from those who would use you for your magick."

"Like you?" she snapped.

Jared gave her a level look. "I have no desire to exploit your magick, Harper. In fact, I may be your best chance of survival until you acknowledge your powers and hone them against potential enemies."

Suddenly exhausted, her shoulders slumped. She buried her head in her hands. "What am I? Why is this happening to me? Am I being punished for something I did in the past?"

Suddenly a warm palm tipped up her chin. The electric shock of his touch sent desire surging through her. She found herself staring into Jared's dark, compassionate gaze.

"You are not being punished. You are coming into yourself, your true self. It is not an easy adjustment, but you are not alone."

A shiver of awareness raced down her spine as he stroked a line across her bottom lip. She didn't know what he wanted from her, but for now she was trapped here.

Jared's expression became inscrutable. He dropped his hand and turned from her, as if trying to break their connection.

"I have duties that require my attention. You're free to roam about the castle, except for the room at the very top of the northwest turret. That is off limits."

Never tell a curious person something is off limits. "What's up there?"

"My bedroom." He gave her a long, sensual smile. "Eventually, if you please me, I may invite you up there."

"Over my dead body."

He considered. "I think not. Not into that. Not my style. Not anymore."

At his wink, she rolled her eyes. "Are you ever serious?"

"I can be quite serious. I'm quite devoted to my craft of lovemaking."

"Sure. I bet you're king of the midnight hour. You probably seduce a different woman every night."

To her surprise, his expression tightened. "I do not have several women and late night is not my favorite time."

An incubus demon who didn't flit from woman to woman and didn't like the night? Interesting. She wondered what that was about.

"I thought an incubus demon thrived on what happens behind closed doors when the sun goes down. Like a sex vampire."

He turned away as if the topic pained him. "I have arranged to bring your clothing here. You will find it in the dresser, neatly arranged. Have a good morning. Lunch will be served on the terrace downstairs. If you get hungry, the kitchen is two floors below."

Harper considered her options. Exploring the castle could be her ticket out of here, an exit strategy. But first, to distract this handsome devil who insisted on keeping her prisoner. And not by having sex with him. If he managed to coax her into his bed, Harper feared he was right. She would never wish to leave.

"What do you do for fun around here?"

At his blank look, she added, "You know, fun? Hobbies, things you enjoy doing. Other than sex."

For a moment, something flickered on his face. Jared frowned. "I enjoy torching stray demons who hurt kittens and children."

Not exactly her choice of pleasant activities. "Seriously? I'm talking about things like playing tennis, or video games, something I do with you. Or something you can teach me."

She batted her eyelashes in a hint of seduction.

He stared. "Do you have something wrong with your eyes? You keep blinking."

Oh for goodness sake… Harper sighed. "Hobbies. Anything you like to do around here other than kidnapping women?"

"I do not kidnap women. Only you, and I was saving you from inherent danger." His gaze flicked over to the window. "I do have a few hobbies. One is archery. In the second courtyard."

"Good. You can teach me. Tell me where and when."

The activity would give her a chance to explore exits and a way to escape.

Drawing closer, Jared down at her. For a moment, she felt an unwanted tug of pure sexual need. He was all male, with his dark hair cut short, toned musculature beneath the clothing, and his air of pure confidence. Domineering, the kind of guy who knew what he wanted and pursued it. A sexy predator. Why he wanted her, she had no idea.

Yet beneath his air of sexuality, she sensed a deep loneliness he tried to mask. The kind of isolation and vulnerability she felt at times, and always hid from the world because the world wasn't kind to brittle people. Such frailty made one weak, and your enemies could smash you to bits if they knew how to get past your defenses.

Instinctively she knew Jared had powerful enemies, maybe this demon he'd mentioned. He would never show any weakness, or wish anyone to know he was nothing less than powerful.

Jared bent over, put a hand under her chin. Awareness shot through her at his touch. His hand was warm, slightly calloused and hinting of a man who knew labor, which sharply contrasted with his urbane manner of dress. He lifted her chin to meet his penetrating gaze.

"There are many things I wish to teach you. Many things…I think you will come to enjoy."

He stroked his thumb across her lower lip, and her body flared to life, desire becoming a hot, living thing. Harper bit her lip, struggling to control her emotions and her needs.

Think science.

"I ask one thing of you. If you fall in love with me, do not lie about doing so. For if you do and I catch you in a lie…"

He dropped his hand and stepped back, his gaze narrowing.

"You will not like the consequences."